• TEACHING ENGLISH TODAY LAUNCHED

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    For some years now, the English Academy of Southern Africa has been mooting the idea of producing a magazine for English teachers. The older teachers might recall a publication entitled CRUX, which English teachers valued greatly.  Since its demise, there has been nothing to replace it. So, at last, the Academy has launched this publication to fill the gap.  This was made possible through a generous donation from the Donaldson Trust.

    At first, we contemplated a paper-based publication, but then decided instead to opt for  a web–based, interactive journal. Our reasons were as follows:

    • It is more affordable.
    • It allows for an archive to be built up for future reference.
    • It allows educators to download and print specific articles that they find of use.
    • It makes interaction and discussion much easier, allowing for interchanges of opinions, responses to articles, queries to be posed.

    We are aware that there are schools in poorer areas which do not have internet access. For this reason, we will supply a print version to schools that request that.

    It will be published twice a year on a specially designed website, but may be updated between ‘issues’.

    Initially, the publication will focus mainly on the FET phase. It is intended to be a vehicle for teachers and teacher educators to debate critical issues, to share approaches and valuable learning material and to help build communities of practice. Clearly, the magazine also has significant value for teachers in training. The emphasis is on what will help the teacher in the classroom to teach well and to keep in touch with best practice in a South African context. This implies a predominance of practical material with some articles which bring practice into critical review.

    This, the first issue, features a balance of theoretical and practical articles.  We would like to increase the number of articles that focus on the classroom – but for this we need your input.

    We look forward to your interacting with us – please respond to articles, however brief.

    MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!


    We invite teachers, teacher trainers, departmental officials, personnel at English-related organisations and other educationists to

    (a)    Respond to the articles in TET.  You don’t need to write an essay – or even a paragraph – even a few words will do. We want to know what you think and to get people debating and chatting about English.

    (b)   Send in suggestions of issues / topics that you would like to have featured.

    (c)    Submit articles, teaching tips, information about teaching resources, for publication. We are prepared to pay up to R400 for selected articles.

    (d)   Give us news about your organisations, and advertisements for courses, seminars, etc. These we will publish free of charge.

    (a) This you do online  – there is a place for comments.

    (b) – (d): Send these to the editor at drv@worldonline.co.za.

    Dr Malcolm Venter
    Editor
    Teaching English Today


    1. Although TET will be published in two issues, responses to items in an issue  – or responses to responses – can be made at any time.  So you are encouraged to log on the website from time to time to read these and to respond to the articles /comments.

    2. Articles will be archived for future reference / use. So, if you don’t print an article now because it is not currently relevant to you, you can search for these later when they are.

    Grateful thanks to my IT mentors, Adrian Marnewick and Mike Merrett of EvaluNet, for being so patient in training me to administer this site.

    Categories: Volume 1